Tyre makers have urged the government to upgrade local production standards and expand foreign sales of Thai tyres, says Finbarr O'Connor, chairman of the Thai Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association (TATMA).
The group includes giants Goodyear, Bridgestone, Yokohama, Maxxis International, Sumitomo and Michelin.
"The association wants to ask the government to help increase the standard of Thai tyre products to meet global standards," Mr O'Connor said. "That would help Thai tyre makers penetrate new markets, which would help increase exports."
Greater tyre exports and domestic consumption of Thai natural rubber will support rubber farmers, he said.
Thailand's domestic rubber consumption is roughly 400,000 tonnes a year or 10% of its annual rubber production of 4 million tonnes. Thailand is also the world's fifth-largest exporter of tyres, shipping 150 million a year.
TATMA aims to promote the tyre industry by formulating and implementing policy measures to improve safety. The group's members export tyres to 60 countries.
"We are looking for a stable standard which is monitored by the government," Mr O'Connor said. "And if Thailand can successfully upgrade that standard it would be a positive sign for the industry."
Industry Minister Atchaka Sibunruang said the government would work together with the association in order to upgrade the Thai tyre industry to help boost exports.
She said there were problems regarding Thai trademarks that differentiate between quality grades of tyres. That, in turn, might have caused confusion about Thai tyre standards in general.
Apart from the issue of tyre quality, the Industry Ministry also discussed with the association ways to develop human resources as well as tyre industry technology, which also needs to be upgraded.